A preventable tragedy
A massive flood devastated the city of Derna in northeastern Libya on Sept. 11, killing thousands of people and wiping out entire neighborhoods. The cause of the disaster was the collapse of two dams that had been neglected for years despite repeated warnings from experts. The dams, Abu Mansour and Derna, were built in the 1970s from clay, rocks and earth, and were supposed to protect the city from flash floods. They were damaged by a storm in 1986 and showed cracks and fissures in their structures.
A state-run audit agency reported in 2021 that more than $2 million had been allocated for the maintenance of the dams in 2012 and 2013, but no work was done. The agency blamed the Ministry of Works and Natural Resources for failing to cancel the contract and give it to a company that would do the job. A Turkish firm, Arsel Construction Company Ltd., said it had completed its work on the dams in November 2012, but satellite photos showed no evidence of a third dam that it was supposed to build.
A night of horror
The disaster struck in the early hours of Sept. 11, when residents of Derna heard loud explosions before floodwaters pounded the Mediterranean city. They found that the dams had broken, sending a wall of water two stories high that wreaked havoc and destruction. The deluge was deadly for thousands in just seconds, uprooting apartment buildings and washing away roads and bridges. More than 11,300 people were reported killed, and over 10,000 remained missing a week after the disaster, according to the Libyan Red Crescent and the United Nations.
The city, which has a population of nearly 90,000 people, was divided by Wadi Derna, a valley where the dams were located. Water collected behind the dams was used to irrigate crops downstream. Many residents said they received conflicting messages from authorities ahead of Mediterranean storm Daniel. They were told to evacuate the coastal areas for fear of a surge from the sea, but also to stay at home because of a curfew. As much as a quarter of the city has been erased, emergency officials said.
A country in chaos
Libya has been in turmoil since 2011, when an Arab Spring uprising, backed by NATO, ousted longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who was later killed. The country has since split between rival administrations: one in the west backed by an array of lawless armed groups and militias, and the second in the east allied with the self-styled Libyan National Army, which is commanded by powerful Gen. Khalifa Hifter.
The country’s infrastructure has suffered widespread neglect despite Libya’s oil wealth. As of 2021, the country ranked 172 out of 180 on the transparency index compiled by Transparency International. Corruption and misappropriation of state funds have been rampant, with little to no accountability or oversight. Activists have called for an international probe into the collapse of the dams, fearing that a local investigation would be fruitless or biased.
The chief prosecutor, al-Sediq al-Sour, said prosecutors would investigate the disaster and hold those responsible accountable. He appointed investigators from different parts of the country to carry out the probe. East Libya’s government suspended Derna’s mayor, Abdel-Moneim al-Gaithi, pending an investigation.
Despite the tragedy and devastation, some signs of hope have emerged in Derna. Local volunteers have joined rescue workers and aid agencies to search for survivors and provide assistance to those affected. Neighboring countries and international organizations have also pledged support and sent humanitarian aid. Some residents have expressed their resilience and determination to rebuild their city and their lives. They have also called for national unity and reconciliation among Libya’s warring factions. “We have lost everything, but we have not lost our hope,” said Fatima al-Zawiya, a mother of three who survived the flood. “We are still alive, and we will rise again.”
Source: CNN
